Tips on Using a Flour Sifter

Flour sifters are used in cooking to provide a smooth texture to food, especially when baking. It removes the lumps from ingredients such as flour. They are inexpensive and handy items to have in the kitchen. They are typically made of metal but can be stainless steel as well. Some may be electric while others come with a manual crank on the side.

Tips on Using a Flour Sifter

• Before you use the flour sifter, make sure it is sitting in the bowl before you pour the flour so the particles will not get all over the countertop.

• If the flour sifter has a manual crank, make sure you use slow and careful turns on the crank to prevent a mess and to get flour that is free of lumps.

• If the recipe calls for sifted flour, this means you must sift the flour with the sifter before you use it. If a recipe only asks for a cup of sifted flour, you must measure the flour and then sift it.

• When a recipe requires the bottom of the pan to be coated with flour, it is easy to coat it using a sifter. You simply place a cup of flour in the sifter and slowly turn the crank to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. You can also use the flour sifter to dust the counters when you need to knead dough.

• The sifter can be easily used to make pastry and cake flour when you do not have any. Sift 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour and add 2 tablespoons cornstarch. The sifter adds a smooth texture to the flour.

• You must follow the manufacturer's directions for cleaning an electric flour sifter. You will need to remove all the parts and shake the shifter over the sink to remove any flour. Wet a paper towel and wipe the inside and outside of the sifter. The parts can be washed with soap and water. Allow them to dry overnight and attach them to the sifter. A sifter with a hand crank can be washed with soap and water and set in the dish rack to dry.